Thursday, December 21
Cherokee, N.C.
9:30 PM
Michigan State University
10-2,0-1Big Ten
105
vs
66
Coastal Carolina
6-7,0-0Sun Belt
1
2
3
4
F
Michigan St.
32
25
30
18
105
Coastal Carolina
16
19
15
16
66
Ayrault Leads Spartan Women To Cherokee Invitational Title With A Dominating Win Over Coastal Carolina
12/21/2023 11:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault registers a career-high 32 points.
CHEROKEE, N.C. -- Behind a career-best performance from graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault, the Michigan State women's basketball team captured the Cherokee Invitational Championship title with a dominating 105-66 win over Coastal Carolina Thursday night in Cherokee, North Carolina.
The Spartans improved to 10-2 this season, winning three-straight games, while tying a season-high for the third time this season with the 105 points and topping the 100-point mark for the fourth time this season, the most in program history.
The tournament win was MSU's first since winning the New Orleans Shootout in 2017. With the loss, the Chanticleers fall to 6-7 on the season. Thursday night was the first-ever women's basketball meeting between Michigan State and Coastal Carolina.
Ayrault led the way with a career-high 32 points, adding nine rebounds and three blocks. It was the first 30-point game for a Spartan women's basketball player since Kamaria McDaniel scored 32 points against Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament on March 3, 2023.
Graduate guard Moira Joiner continued her streak of reaching double digits in every game this season with 19 points also adding a seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball also dropped 18 points, going a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, pacing MSU to finish with 14 triples, including eight in the first quarter alone on the way to 32 points in the opening frame.
Michigan State jumped out to a 16-3 lead after sharp shooting from Ayrault and Joiner. A Kimball trey made it a 29-11 with under two minutes left in the period. The Spartans drained eight treys in the first 10 minutes to take a 32-16 lead. Ayrault scored 10 points in the first period with two 3-pointers, while Joiner had nine points on three treys.
In the second quarter, Michigan State took its first 20-point lead at 36-16 after a Joiner putback. Foul trouble struck early for the Spartans, as junior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate was called for her third foul early in the second quarter. Michigan State wasn't fazed as the offense and defense were firing on all cylinders. With 4:13 remaining in the half, MSU was out-scoring Coast Carolina, 21-3. The Chanticleers used a 11-1 run to gain some ground on the Spartans for a 54-30 halftime score.
The MSU offense continued to shine in the third period, out-scoring the Chants 30-15 in the quarter. Ayrault led the way with 11 points in the period. The Spartans also scored from the charity stripe going 11-for-12 from the free throw line in the quarter, as they finished 29-for-35 for the game.
Michigan State scored 11 of the first 15 points of the fourth quarter, as MSU's bench got more minutes. All nine Spartans that played scored at least two points and had at least one rebound. Junior guard Lauren Ross scored all six of her points in the final 10 minutes of action, as the Green & White coasted to the tournament title and the Victory for MSU.
The Spartans will take a brief break for the holidays, before returning to Big Ten action. Michigan State will travel to Penn State on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Michigan State Women's Basketball Post-Game Notes: vs. Coastal Carolina 12-21-23
• Michigan State's 105 points in Thursday's win tied a season-high for the third time this season, matching 105 points in back-to-back games vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16) and Evansville (11/19) ... overall it was the Spartans' fourth 100-point outing of the season, joining 102 points at DePaul (11/30) ...
• With Thursday's 105 points, the Spartans have scored at least 80 points in all 10 Victories for MSU this season.
• MSU's tournament title was their first since winning the 2017 New Orleans Shootout.
• MSU netted 32 points in the first quarter, the Spartans' most points in the opening quarter, topping the previous high water mark of 29 points in the win at DePaul (11/30), and just one point shy of the season-high for points in any quarter, as MSU scored 33 points in the second stanza vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16).
• Michigan State drained 14 3-pointers Thursday night, tying the second-most for the third time, also netting 14 triples vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16) and at DePaul (11/30), and just behind the season-high 15 treys vs. James Madison (11/23) ... overall, by making 14 behind the arc, MSU registered its third-straight game in double-digit treys as part of the seventh time this season.
• The Spartans hit eight triples in the first quarter alone, and improved to 10-0 when making at least eight 3-pointers, draining eight or more treys in all 10 wins this season, and only making less than eight in their two losses, with seven and four in losses to Creighton (11/24) and Nebraska (12/9), respectively.
• Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault netted a career-high 32 points, becoming the Spartans' first 30-point scorer since Kamaria McDaniel tallied 32 points in the B1G Tournament vs. Indiana (3/3/23) ... Ayrault's 32 points is tied for 16th on MSU's single-game scoring list ... Ayrault topped her previous career-high of 25 points set earlier this season vs. James Madison (11/23/23) ... the 32 points is Ayrault's second game with 20+ points both this season and of her career, as MSU is 2-0 this season when Ayrault tallies 20+ points.
• Ayrault posted double-digits in the first quarter alone with 10 points on the way to netting 14 points in the first 14 minutes of the game, as she has posted double-digits for the third-straight game and in eight of her last nine games ... overall it's Ayrault's ninth double-figure outing this season and 22nd of her career.
• One night after not recording a block in a game for the first time this season, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault had a block in the first quarter for her 100th career block ... Ayrault became just the seventh MSU women's basketball player to register 100 career blocks, and the first since Lykendra Johnson posted 147 from 2008-12 ... finishing with three rejections Thursday night, Ayrault now has 102 career blocks, just five shy of the No. 6 spot on MSU's career blocks list, held by Erin Skelly (1997-2001) with 107.
• Ayrault's three blocks was her ninth game with multiple rejections.
• Ayrault also snared a game-high nine rebounds, just missing what would have been her second double-double in the last three games ... it marks the second time this season that Ayrault had double-figure points and nine rebounds, with both near double-doubles coming in the last five games, with 13 points and nine rebounds vs. Miami (Ohio).
• Graduate guard Moira Joiner reached double-figures early in the second quarter, after netting three triples for nine points in the first quarter, and finished the game with 19 points, draining four 3-pointers ... Joiner added to her streak of double-figures in every game this season, now at 12 in row this season, as part of 14-straight games back to the 2022-23 season, and in 15 of her last 16 outings ... overall, Joiner has now posted double-figures in 41 career contests.
• Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball tallied double-digits for the first time in the last five games, in doing so for the fifth game this season and sixth in her career with 18 points, reaching double-figures in the first half alone with 11 points in the opening half.
• Kimball netted four 3-pointers, her fifth game with three or more from distance.
The Spartans improved to 10-2 this season, winning three-straight games, while tying a season-high for the third time this season with the 105 points and topping the 100-point mark for the fourth time this season, the most in program history.
The tournament win was MSU's first since winning the New Orleans Shootout in 2017. With the loss, the Chanticleers fall to 6-7 on the season. Thursday night was the first-ever women's basketball meeting between Michigan State and Coastal Carolina.
Ayrault led the way with a career-high 32 points, adding nine rebounds and three blocks. It was the first 30-point game for a Spartan women's basketball player since Kamaria McDaniel scored 32 points against Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament on March 3, 2023.
Graduate guard Moira Joiner continued her streak of reaching double digits in every game this season with 19 points also adding a seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball also dropped 18 points, going a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, pacing MSU to finish with 14 triples, including eight in the first quarter alone on the way to 32 points in the opening frame.
Michigan State jumped out to a 16-3 lead after sharp shooting from Ayrault and Joiner. A Kimball trey made it a 29-11 with under two minutes left in the period. The Spartans drained eight treys in the first 10 minutes to take a 32-16 lead. Ayrault scored 10 points in the first period with two 3-pointers, while Joiner had nine points on three treys.
In the second quarter, Michigan State took its first 20-point lead at 36-16 after a Joiner putback. Foul trouble struck early for the Spartans, as junior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate was called for her third foul early in the second quarter. Michigan State wasn't fazed as the offense and defense were firing on all cylinders. With 4:13 remaining in the half, MSU was out-scoring Coast Carolina, 21-3. The Chanticleers used a 11-1 run to gain some ground on the Spartans for a 54-30 halftime score.
The MSU offense continued to shine in the third period, out-scoring the Chants 30-15 in the quarter. Ayrault led the way with 11 points in the period. The Spartans also scored from the charity stripe going 11-for-12 from the free throw line in the quarter, as they finished 29-for-35 for the game.
Michigan State scored 11 of the first 15 points of the fourth quarter, as MSU's bench got more minutes. All nine Spartans that played scored at least two points and had at least one rebound. Junior guard Lauren Ross scored all six of her points in the final 10 minutes of action, as the Green & White coasted to the tournament title and the Victory for MSU.
The Spartans will take a brief break for the holidays, before returning to Big Ten action. Michigan State will travel to Penn State on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Michigan State Women's Basketball Post-Game Notes: vs. Coastal Carolina 12-21-23
• Michigan State's 105 points in Thursday's win tied a season-high for the third time this season, matching 105 points in back-to-back games vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16) and Evansville (11/19) ... overall it was the Spartans' fourth 100-point outing of the season, joining 102 points at DePaul (11/30) ...
• With Thursday's 105 points, the Spartans have scored at least 80 points in all 10 Victories for MSU this season.
• MSU's tournament title was their first since winning the 2017 New Orleans Shootout.
• MSU netted 32 points in the first quarter, the Spartans' most points in the opening quarter, topping the previous high water mark of 29 points in the win at DePaul (11/30), and just one point shy of the season-high for points in any quarter, as MSU scored 33 points in the second stanza vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16).
• Michigan State drained 14 3-pointers Thursday night, tying the second-most for the third time, also netting 14 triples vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16) and at DePaul (11/30), and just behind the season-high 15 treys vs. James Madison (11/23) ... overall, by making 14 behind the arc, MSU registered its third-straight game in double-digit treys as part of the seventh time this season.
• The Spartans hit eight triples in the first quarter alone, and improved to 10-0 when making at least eight 3-pointers, draining eight or more treys in all 10 wins this season, and only making less than eight in their two losses, with seven and four in losses to Creighton (11/24) and Nebraska (12/9), respectively.
• Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault netted a career-high 32 points, becoming the Spartans' first 30-point scorer since Kamaria McDaniel tallied 32 points in the B1G Tournament vs. Indiana (3/3/23) ... Ayrault's 32 points is tied for 16th on MSU's single-game scoring list ... Ayrault topped her previous career-high of 25 points set earlier this season vs. James Madison (11/23/23) ... the 32 points is Ayrault's second game with 20+ points both this season and of her career, as MSU is 2-0 this season when Ayrault tallies 20+ points.
• Ayrault posted double-digits in the first quarter alone with 10 points on the way to netting 14 points in the first 14 minutes of the game, as she has posted double-digits for the third-straight game and in eight of her last nine games ... overall it's Ayrault's ninth double-figure outing this season and 22nd of her career.
• One night after not recording a block in a game for the first time this season, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault had a block in the first quarter for her 100th career block ... Ayrault became just the seventh MSU women's basketball player to register 100 career blocks, and the first since Lykendra Johnson posted 147 from 2008-12 ... finishing with three rejections Thursday night, Ayrault now has 102 career blocks, just five shy of the No. 6 spot on MSU's career blocks list, held by Erin Skelly (1997-2001) with 107.
• Ayrault's three blocks was her ninth game with multiple rejections.
• Ayrault also snared a game-high nine rebounds, just missing what would have been her second double-double in the last three games ... it marks the second time this season that Ayrault had double-figure points and nine rebounds, with both near double-doubles coming in the last five games, with 13 points and nine rebounds vs. Miami (Ohio).
• Graduate guard Moira Joiner reached double-figures early in the second quarter, after netting three triples for nine points in the first quarter, and finished the game with 19 points, draining four 3-pointers ... Joiner added to her streak of double-figures in every game this season, now at 12 in row this season, as part of 14-straight games back to the 2022-23 season, and in 15 of her last 16 outings ... overall, Joiner has now posted double-figures in 41 career contests.
• Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball tallied double-digits for the first time in the last five games, in doing so for the fifth game this season and sixth in her career with 18 points, reaching double-figures in the first half alone with 11 points in the opening half.
• Kimball netted four 3-pointers, her fifth game with three or more from distance.
Team Stats
MSU
CCU
FG%
.437
.481
3FG%
.359
.250
FT%
.829
.462
RB
40
31
TO
7
19
STL
9
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
32
FGM
10
3FGM
4
FTM
8
Pts
19
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
3
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
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